Operator
by Emma Conners
Summary: (short story, completed) Adam tries to cope with his ex-girlfriend Julie and ex-best friend Charlie together; and in the process learns an important lesson.


***This story is based on the song Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)***  
  
Ring Ring  
  
"Information, may I help you?" the operator asked.  
  
"Yes please," a soft voice said. "I'm trying to find a phone number."  
  
"Okay, whose number are you trying to reach?"  
  
Adam Banks took a deep breath. "Julie. Julie Conway."  
  
"Okay, do you know what city she lives in?"  
  
"Yes I do, LA."  
  
"Okay, let me check," the operator said. "Nope, I'm sorry, there are no listed phone numbers for a Julie Conway."  
  
"Well, couldn't you check the unlisted phone numbers then?" Adam asked.  
  
"That's against our policy... I could get fired," the operator said.  
  
"Please," Adam said desperately. The operator knew she shouldn't, but he sounded so helpless.  
  
"All right, hold on though, let me transfer you to another line," she said.  
  
"Okay." Adam waited a few seconds then heard the operator again.  
  
"Okay, as long as I'm helping you, do I get to know who Julie is?" she asked.  
  
"The one and only love of my life," he replied without hesitation.  
  
"Then why don't you have her number?" the operator asked. Adam laughed.  
  
"It's a long story. Actually, she did give it to me. But I can't read it anymore." The operator was very confused.  
  
"Why don't you tell me the whole story?" she asked.  
  
"Okay."  
  
**Flashback**  
  
"Julie, you can't marry him," Adam said grabbing her arm.  
  
"Adam... I love him," she replied softly.  
  
"I thought you loved me."  
  
"I do love you Adam."  
  
"Then... why? Why do you love him more?" he asked. Julie was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Adam, please don't make me cry on my wedding day."  
  
"I have to know. Why do you love him more than me?"  
  
A single tear fell down her cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she said hugging him. Adam felt like crying to, but used all his strength not to. "Look, you and Charlie are best friends. I don't want you two to lose touch because of me. And I want us to be friends to. Here," Julie said grabbing the first thing in sight that could be written on, which was a matchbox. "Here's our new number. Please, call us." She jotted the number down on the matchbox and kissed him on the cheek. "I have to go now. Goodbye."  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
"Wow," the operator said shocked.  
  
"Yep. She married my best friend. My good old ex-best friend. And ya know what the irony of the whole thing was?"  
  
"What?" the operator asked.  
  
"She always used to say she hated him when we were dating. And I believed her. Boy, I sure felt stupid when I found out. And Charlie. When we were in high school we promised we would never let a girl ruin our friendship. He betrayed me. He stole her from me. I guess that's the way things go though right?"  
  
"Things never go the way you want them to," she said.  
  
"And ya know, I never for one minute suspected that they would ever get together. I thought I would marry her. And I thought we would have kids together. I thought I could make her happy. I guess not."  
  
"Well, what happened to the match box? Did you lose it?" she asked.  
  
"No, I have it right here. It's just old. The number is faded. I can't make it out anymore. She gave this to me exactly three years ago today."  
  
"So why do you want to call her?"  
  
"I want her to know I've gotten over her. That even though I will probably never be okay with it, I've overcome and learned to deal with it. I only wish my words could convince myself."  
  
"Well, here it is. Julie Conway. The phone number is 555- 6739." Adam wrote it down.  
  
"I can hardly read it."  
  
"What do you mean? I just gave it to you."  
  
"I know, but it's like there's something stuck in my eyes. This happens every time, and then I just want to cry. It sounds silly I know."  
  
"No, it doesn't sound silly. So, do you want me to connect you?" Adam thought for a minute. "Are you there?" she asked.  
  
"Ya know what operator? Let's forget about this call, okay?"  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
  
"I mean... there's no one there I really want to talk to anyway. I just need to let her go. And let the past lie. There's nothing I can change now. But thank you so much. You've been more than kind." Adam crumpled up the piece of paper with the phone number and threw it in the garbage can next to him.  
  
"It's not a problem. I'm happy to help."  
  
"Goodbye," Adam said hanging up the phone. 


End file.
